fantasyAugust 21, 2018 12:19pm EDTAugust 21, 2018 12:19pm EDTEveryone's looking for defense sleepers, but which D/STs stand out as potential breakouts? We offer up several defenses who could easily outpace their preseason projections and rankings.

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Defense sleepers are a dime a dozen -- there are new ones every week if you're willing to play the matchups and be active on the waiver wire. But a lot of fantasy football owners aren't willing to play that game, which leads to them overdrafting D/STs in August and September. What if there's a way to split the difference? Save that valuable mid-round draft pick and still get a defense that can outproduce its preseason projections? Who wouldn't like that?

Maybe more than any other position, defense is susceptible to matchups, so it's tough to draft a unit low in the rankings and get someone you can count on every week. But there are still several teams that look like breakout candidates heading into this season. A few more lucky bounces when it comes to takeaways or a few more missed tackles on returns can easily vault a middling D/ST into the top 10 for the season. Talent, particularly talented pass rushers and defensive backs, has a way of creating big plays, and that always gives you a fighting chance in fantasy football.

Again, matchups are always going to be the most crucial factor when selecting a D/ST for a given week, so not all of the following units can even be trusted in Week 1, but they still have upside and are worth filing away in your mental cheat sheet.

1Houston Texans

J.J. Watt is back, and that seems to be all people need to hear to have Houston back among the top fantasy D/STs after a dismal 2017. Of course, it's not just Watt who's returning, as DE Whitney Mercilus is also slated to return after a pec injury cost him all but five games last year. Houston also added DBs Aaron Colvin and Tyrann Mathieu, both of whom should help improve on last year's 24th-ranked pass defense and disappointing 11 INTs. Houston is a major wild card, as Watt has only played in eight games the past two seasons, but if he can stay healthy, he's one of the biggest difference-makers in the league.

2Tennessee Titans

Tennessee was a fairly average fantasy D/ST last year, but its 43 sacks tied for fifth most and it sported the No. 4 run defense. Malcolm Butler was added to a secondary that already features last year's INT co-leader Kevin Byard and emerging second-year playmaker Adoree' Jackson, and first-round pick Rashaan Evans will help beef up the linebacking corps. There's major breakout potential here if Tennessee can improve on its 12 INTs and one D/ST touchdown from last year, both of which seem likely.

3Buffalo Bills

With only 27 sacks last season, the Bills D/ST lacked the consistent upside you want in a fantasy defense, but the acquisitions of DT Star Lotulelei and first-round LB Tremaine Edmunds should strengthen the defense as a whole and free up other players to make more big plays.

4Arizona Cardinals

Talented pass-rushers Chandler Jones and Markus Golden and play-making corner Patrick Peterson give this disappointing unit upside in any game. While Arizona might not be an every-week play anymore, they certainly have the ability, especially at home, to put up fantasy points. The loss of safety Tyrann Mathieu from a unit that only had 21 takeaways last season doesn't help the overall outlook, but Arizona could be huge in favorable matchups.

5Atlanta Falcons

Expect to see Vic Beasley unleashed this year after managed just five sacks in 2017 compared to 15.5 the year before. That alone will help offset the loss of Adrian Clayborn's 9.5 sacks (six of which came in one game). Third-year LB Deion Jones appears to only be getting better, which is big for a team that lacks big-time playmakers in the secondary. The talent is there, and if Atlanta can improve on its eight INTs from last season, it will be a valuable fantasy D/ST.

6Washington Redskins

Washington ranked tied for seventh in sacks (42) last year and had a respectable (and repeatable) 16 INTs and seven fumble recoveries. The loss of Kendall Fuller takes away four of those INTs, but if Josh Norman can improve on his goose-egg in 2017, this secondary could still provide for fantasy owners.